Keep Your Friends Close
by Isabella Auditore
Summary: Three SHIELD Agents are assigned to guard the God of Mischief, confined in Stark Tower. They grow attached to the Avengers. When Agent Jess Tyler starts to befriend Loki, relationships become complicated. Old allies become foes. Hearts are broken. In the end, remember to keep your friends close, but always keep your enemies closer. [3x OCs] [OC/Stark] [OC/Thor] [OC/Hawk]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome to my Avengers fanfic! I gotta be honest- I was never going to write one, but was instead waiting for a friend to post hers when some ideas came to me. This is probably the first story I had planned out properly. I actually know what's going to happen for once! Hooray!  
...I only just realised that my OCs all have a **_**Doctor Who**_** reference in them somewhere. I assure you, that was an unintentional, but very funny, coincidence. Also, "What are you going to do- Assemble cabinets at them?!"  
Anyway, I won't hold you here much longer. Enjoy! :D**

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Chapter 1: Thunder

"Ms Tyler. Ms Tyler? Jess! Earth to Jess!" The voice snapped her out of her daydream. Jess' eyes re-focused and raised to meet Agent Phil Coulson's face, showing badly concealed concern. He was trying to be indifferent, but she couldn't mistake that gleam of worry in his eyes.  
They were standing in Phil's office aboard the quinjet, nicknamed the Bus, discussing Jess' new mission. Or, they _were_ discussing the mission until a certain Agent Tyler zoned out and was faced with the horrifying memories of New York. Of course, she wasn't on the front line herself. No, she was with a small group of agents working to keep civilians away from the action in an assigned area, while dealing with the stress of her first week in S.H.I.E.L.D.  
She'd only just been promoted to 'Agent' and all its fanciness when she was thrown head-first into the first Battle of New York, or BNY as people were beginning to refer to it as. Not six days in the field and she'd already seen enough innocent deaths first-hand to last ten lifetimes. The ringing in her ears after an explosion didn't really block out the blood-curdling shrieks of people burning alive. People dying. Even now, she heard the echoes of the noises. The grinding of metal against metal as buildings crumbled. The sound of hundreds of windows shattering. The-  
"Jess!" Phil was looking almost annoyed now. He had been leaning on his desk before, but was now standing at his full height, which was about an inch or two shorter than Jess.  
"Sorry, sir. You were saying something about guarding..?" Jess apologised, only half sorry. It was, after all, tradition for her to get her missions standing on solid ground and not be halfway to the mission location when she was told about it. So, naturally, she was a little on-edge.  
Coulson had that smirk on his face which usually meant he was still a little annoyed, but wouldn't go as far as to show it.  
"...Yes. You've been assigned to a small group of agents that will keep an eye on Stark Tower for a while. You'll be guarding some very important... stuff while you're there. I assume you're fairly familiar with Agents Reynolds and Cobb, since you'll be living with them for the next year or so. They're already on site, since they were briefed by Director Fury yesterday." Phil smiled a little, showing a glimmer of humanity behind the business-like manor of his exterior. Phil had this way of getting to know everyone and generally being fatherly to everyone who worked under him. That way, if you didn't do well, he could give you a disappointed look and you'd feel instantly shamed.  
"Thank you, sir." Jess smiled back, friendly but respectfully distant. Coulson nodded curtly in dismissal and Jess made her way out of his office as he went to sit down. Only when she was sure she was alone did she sink down into a chair and let her head fall into her hands.  
_Oh god... Stark Tower, the most well-guarded, yet completely visible to the public, building in New York? Guarding important 'stuff'? Using rookies like her, Reynolds and Cobb? Almost in New York before she heard anything?_  
Outside, rainclouds gathered above the city and thunder rumbled away in the distance.

Now, Jess Tyler was not recruited to S.H.I.E.L.D. for her skill in the field- rather since it was more of a lack thereof. No, Jess was chosen because of her bizarrely accurate perception skills. Way back when, as a little girl, she'd loved reading books about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Instead of being amazed by Sherlock's deductions, she'd noticed a similarity between herself and the detective. She, too, came to conclusions about things relatively quickly, even if her deductions were far less remarkable as a child. Even now, as an adult, she was little more than a Watson to Holmes. Still, such people are rare, and even rarer are those that would willingly join S.H.I.E.L.D.  
That said, Jess often missed things. Big things. Seeing every detail made the big picture all too clear, and disturbing. She often averted her gaze and focused on small, less important parts of the picture. Like why in the world she was currently sitting in a silver Audi R8 with blacked out windows, driving through the city as it rained heavily.  
The driver was a serious-looking middle-aged man with a discreet earpiece in his right ear. Second marriage. Two children. A black-and-white dog with long hair. Though, it could just be that he got a different wedding ring for some other reason. There might only be one very messy child, or three neat ones. And the 'dog' could just be the result of a strange fur coat. Jess had learned very early on not to just blurt out what she thought. It often didn't end well.  
Still, she allowed herself a quick victory-grin when she saw the picture of his family for a brief second when he re-checked the safety on his gun.  
The drive to Stark Tower from the private airport was a silent one. The man chose to drive there swiftly, using as many shortcuts as possible. Jess gathered that the reasoning for the R8 was simply that no one would question it disappearing into the garage of Stark Tower, which was what it did after sailing through New York faster than the Newbie Agent would've guessed possible. Surely there was traffic in the heart of the Big Apple..?

Even the garage was guarded to the teeth. They were mostly hired goons, though. No S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives here. Each guard had some form of weapon, like they didn't know what to expect. Naturally, Jess blinked nonchalantly at a guard who waved them through a door armed with nothing but a baseball bat.  
The building itself was a lot more modern than Jess had expected. In the bright entrance, she shook the hands of some more scary security people before being ushered to an elevator. A woman in a suit and pointless sunglasses told her the passcode to get to the floor she needed to go to, with a serious warning to never reveal it. Jess nodded, a little flustered at how fast everything was moving.  
There was no slowing down, no break. Don't go here, remember this. It was like High School all over again. Honestly, if she hadn't tuned out part of the way through, she would've been so overwhelmed she would've missed the arrival of Agent Cobb and Agent Reynolds.  
The former was the first to notice Jess, and with a wide grin, she nudged her friend a little too roughly with her elbow. Reynolds' eyes narrowed in a playful glare (that, honestly, still would've turned a grown man to stone) and the two young women made their way over, donning poker-faces. Both Reynolds and Cobb wore dark suits, not unlike Jess' own pinstriped one. She'd been instructed to wear formal attire when moving to the Tower. More than likely, the two women were given the same advice.  
Some Agent was telling Jess about the facilities Jess would be able to use while staying at the Tower. She'd be provided with a room for however long she was needed, along with access to the main residential areas of the building.  
The man was halfway through telling her which kitchen to use in the morning when he was interrupted by Agent Reynolds.  
"Excuse me, Agent, but I believe we will be able to show Agent Tyler around." The youngest of the three women spoke in a business-like manner to the other Agent, who nodded curtly and turned on his heel. Soon, they were the only ones standing in what looked like a living space, complete with amazing view and massive television, connected to just about every new gaming platform available, and one Jess'd never seen or heard of before. The whole area was a mixture of whites and soft browns, aside from the technology obviously.  
Jess stared at the two women for a moment, expressionless. Until she narrowed her eyes, dropped her chin and grinned like a shark. Both Reynolds and Cobb burst out laughing.  
"Creeper Smile!" Jess fixed her expression and joined in their laughter. When it finally died down, Jess smiled at them. "It's good to see you guys. Seriously, it's been way too long." A pause, then Cobb smirked. Jess proceeded to hit her. Reynolds sighed, not trying very hard to fight the smile.  
"I thought you two would've grown out of that!" She rolled her eyes.  
"Never, Rose! Especially when Amy twists my words like that." Jess beamed, before pulling the two of them into a bear hug. Amy ended up crushing both of her friends' ribcages.  
"Amy- can't... breathe... let go!" Jess gasped, feeling herself be strangled by a shoulder.  
When they were finally released, the young women exchanged excited news and gossip since they'd last met, basically filling in every gap. Eventually, they curled up on the sofa in the living space, still talking.

"So, what do you think we're guarding?" Amy asked, eating some of the chocolate she always seemed to have on or around her person. Rose stretched over her friend to select a section of the delicious bar. She began nibbling at it quietly, thinking over what she knew.  
"Well, whatever it is, it can't have arrived yet. Those guards downstairs look ready for a full-scale terrorist attack and they're still waiting for the bomb to arrive." Rose thought aloud.  
"Maybe it's some secret new weapon, or some alien tech." Amy ventured.  
Jess stayed silent, watching the dark, ominous clouds rolling over New York with frightening speed through the massive floor-to-ceiling window perpendicular to the white couch. Rain poured down in rivers on the glass.  
The two others quickly noted her lack of guesses.  
"Jess..? What's wrong?" Rose asked, eyeing her friend with concern mixed with a hint of suspicion. Jess sighed and turned towards the two girls, worry etched across her face.  
"Whatever- or whoever- we're guarding is gonna be here shortly." She then pointedly turned and stared out the window at the oncoming storm. This time, Amy and Rose followed her gaze. Lightning crackled through the clouds, lighting up the sky. Thunder rumbled loudly a few seconds later as the storm closed in on Stark Tower.

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**A/N: This chapter's fairly short, but don't worry. The others will be a lot longer, hopefully! Also, if you wanna see the characters' designs, I'm on Polyvore-dot-com as 'thepawsification'. **  
**...Don't ask about that name. Long story. ;)**  
**See you next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Firstly, thank you sooo much for reading! I know there're a whole bunch of Avengers fanfics, and something made you pick mine.  
...That something may have been peer pressure, but at least you got to chapter two. :D  
Secondly,**** I promised it'd be longer! ...Curses, why am I a teenager? I can't say anything without it meaning something else.  
Anyway, hope you enjoy! Also, if you think the story's moving a little too fast, don't worry. It's supposed to be like that. ;)**

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Chapter 2: Bonding

Jess, Amy and Rose stood in a row, shoulder to shoulder beside the elevator. They had been informed of the arrival of the mysterious thing they'd have to guard and that whatever it was was on its way up right now. Jess knew the other two could sense her standing tense and ready. Better for them to know how stressed she was, to know the danger, in her mind.  
Through the massive window, the worst of the storm seemed to be receeding. Despite the storm, at least three helicopters hovered outside Stark Tower  
None of the women were ready when the lift gave off a signature cheerful _ding!_ to signify the arrival of the thing that they would spend the next year or so guarding.  
It seemed like an eternity passed before the elevator door opened, almost in slow-motion. It was another heartbeat before two bulky-looking security men carrying very large, very dangerous guns exited. For a second, the girls held their breath, waiting.  
A slender figure stepped out of the lift, again almost in slow motion. Jess noted the handcuffs holding the figure's pale wrists together in front. She noted the strange, mostly green and gold attire. She saw the black hair slicked back. The figure raised its head slowly and caught sight of the girls with a pair of unnaturally green eyes. They seemed to take all three in; examine them, almost. Like they could see into their very souls. Beside her, Rose shivered. The lips on the figure's face curled into a smile so cunning and so threatening Jess was surprised no one had fired any shots yet.  
"Loki..." Jess breathed, trying her best to keep her face expressionless as he stared each of them down in turn.  
In a heartbeat, the moment was over. The God of Mischief was followed soon after by a tall, shining hunk of metal. The gold and red paint gave it away immediatelly. Iron Man.  
Tony Stark was in his trademarked suit, the mask raised, looking primed for battle. His eyes never left the back of Loki's head, like he was just waiting for the excuse to open fire. Jess noticed with a sinking feeling the billionaire's eye was twitching. He was obviously on the verge of a breakdown, but holding it back bravely. Jess had to give him credit. If she'd been in his shoes, she'd be openly sobbing in a corner.  
All this happened in under a few seconds.  
Once the group cleared the elevator, they all stood around- in formation, obviously- waiting for some kind of signal.  
The elevator reappeared a moment later, and out stepped Thor, God of Thunder, Hawkeye, or Clint Barton, and Captain America, or Steve. Dr Banner was not present, for obvious reasons. Otherwise, the whole team was there, minus Black Widow. She was off in Australia, trailing a target. Way too important to drop just to transport one guy to a tower.  
The Avengers exchanged glances, before Stark finally lowered his defences and stood back. The two surly men walked closer on cue, moving smoothly. It was as precise as a ballet. One man unlocked the handcuffs on Loki, much to Jess' alarm. She said nothing, only watched as the second man interrogated the God quietly, to which Loki seemed strangely calm for a prisoner.  
After their duties were complete, the two security men entered the elevator, leaving the girls with most of the Avengers and a suspiciously well-behaved God.  
The superheroes didn't seem to take much notice of the three guards standing beside the elevator.  
Loki, however, was watching them again. Jess noticed his eyes lacked the searching look from earlier. He seemed more bored than cunning, to which Jess raised an eyebrow. He chose that moment to fix his gaze on Jess. The corner of his mouth twitched, and she had to bite back a sudden burst of giggles by clearing her throat and shifting her feet a little. That seemed to finally draw the attention of the Avengers. Tony frowned at the girls for a moment, then a look of realisation got rid of the frown and he smiled at them ruefully.  
"Hey. Guys, meet the Agents S.H.I.E.L.D. sent to live with me for a year." Tony turned to the rest of the group, still a little on edge. Clint smirked at them. Thor nodded his head in respect. Steve sighed and smiled apologetically to them. Jess smiled back at each of them in turn, though found herself a little frozen when she met Tony's gaze.  
"I'm Amy Cobb, this is Rose Reynolds and that's Jess Tyler." Amy decided it was best to introduce themselves. Each Avenger greeted them in their own way before Clint smirked.  
"I feel sorry for you guys." Clint spoke, still smirking. "You have to deal with Mr 'Genius Billionaire Playboy Philathropist' for a whole year. Maybe longer."  
Tony turned to him with an eyebrow raised, as if to ask why that was an issue.  
"Excuse _me_, Legolas. There're enough rooms here for all of you. If you're so worried, why don't you hang around and keep an eye on us?" Tony smirked.  
"Maybe we will. Right, guys?" Clint turned to look at Thor and Steve, who both acknowledged the archer's question.  
"Why not?" Steve reasoned.  
"It would be preferable for me to remain here to keep an eye on my brother." The Asgardian replied.  
"Then it's decided. You guys'll help us guard Reindeer Games here as well as make sure I behave. Something tells me this is gonna be interesting." Tony settled the matter.  
"Oh good, my sentence is an adult's sleepover." Loki spoke for the first time, suddenly reminding the Avengers of his presence.

The evening was a very tense affair. The residential part of Stark Tower was on high alert, since the God of Mischief was to be kept there. He was given strict instructions to remain in one of three rooms- his bedroom, complete with en suite bathroom, the kitchen and finally the living space where they'd first gathered. On that floor alone was Jess' room, Amy's room and Rose's room. Tony, Clint, Steve and Thor were one floor up.  
For now, Loki was to stay in his room unless absolutely necessary.  
The girls had since changed out of their suits and into more comfortable attire. Amy wore combat trousers, bulky boots and a red t-shirt that had 'Quiddich' written on it in what was unmistakably the Coca-Cola font, her short blonde hair in its usual get-up-and-go style. Jess had dark blue, worn jeans, a pair of mid-length boots, a Batman t-shirt and a leather jacket. Her red hair hung over her shoulders. Rose, the fashion queen of the three, had light blue jeans, a black one-shouldered shirt, grey high-heeled shoes and a red leather jacket. Her brown hair was plaited over one shoulder.  
The three of them were equipped with a gun and told never to let it leave their sight.

Jess leaned her hip against the island in the kitchen, arms folded and fairly grumpy. All three of them had decided it best to guard each room Loki was technically allowed to visit. Jess had gone to the kitchen and Amy to the living space, leaving Rose with standing guard outside Loki's room. Jess was currently wishing she'd chosen the living space, since random bursts of laughter floated down the hall to where she stood. The Avengers had gathered around the sofas and were- from the sounds of it- playing some sort of fighting game with Amy on the massive TV. The laughter and shouts were soon replaced with a chant, growing steadily louder.  
"A-my! A-my! A-my!" A round of cheering followed, and Jess could clearly hear the disappointed groan of Clint Burton.  
"Yes! The Midgardian girl wins again! Friend Clint, you really must improve your strategy." The voice of Thor could be heard from miles away.  
"Seriously, Clint, I thought you said you were good at this." Steve's voice was dripping with sarcasm.  
"But she's just button-mashing!" Clint cried indignantly.  
"Suck it up, Legolas." Jess could practically see the grin on Tony's face. "You've been beaten by a girl."  
"Are you saying _you_'d win against me?" Amy challenged.  
"Oh, you're on, Cobb!" Tony replied.  
More cheers and shouts followed as the next game began. Jess decided to tune them out and instead focus on the interior of the kitchen. It was fairly modern and despite being mostly black, it was quite bright. The cupboards and fridge-freezer were all in-built to the wall of black panels. An island- the one Jess was leaning on- took up most of the floor space, but still left over a meter and a half of space between it and the cupboards. A small, portable radio was perched precariously beside the sink. It looked old and paint-splattered, like it had been used during countless redecorations of other buildings through the years. Jess hadn't yet mustered the courage to turn up the volume of the random station she'd chosen to ease the boredom. The speakers expelled some quiet tune she kind of knew.  
Jess sighed and flicked her hair. She straightened up from the island and decided she might as well make herself comfortable. The kettle sat in a little alcove in the panel-wall, next to the microwave and it didn't take long for her to find the fridge. An idea struck her when she found the cupboard filled with different types of tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The kitchen would have to remain undefended for a second, however.

The Avengers plus Amy were all strewn around the sofa. Amy, Thor and Clint were on the sofa, with Tony sitting on the arm of it. Steve was sitting on the ground with his back leaning against the sofa. Each was staring at the screen with varying levels of concentration. Both Tony and Amy were jabbing at controllers in their hands in an attempt to battle each other on-screen. Thor, Clint and Steve were watching in amusement, yelling out encouragement every now and again. None of them noticed Jess' arrival, carrying a tray of hot chocolates, biscuits and marshmallows. She set it down on the shiny white coffee table, being careful not to block their view of the screen. To Jess' surprise, the noise coming from the TV stopped, and the cheering died down. Each person on and around the couch looked very happy at Jess' arrival.  
"Ahh, you're a life-saver!" Tony grinned at her, dropping his controller and snatching a red mug, along with a handful of marshmallows. The others soon followed.  
"Thanks, Jess!" Amy beamed, taking a sip of her beverage. Thor was a little hesitant in trying the sweet drink, but a pleased grin stretched across his face when he took a large gulp.  
"Ooh, hot chocolate." Steve picked up his own mug.  
"Not bad." Clint nodded in approval, dropping a few marshmallows into the brown liquid.  
Tony set his mug down on the ground for a second and turned to the people on the sofa.  
"Squish up." He instructed. The others did as he said, if a little sluggish in their movements. Eventually, there was enough room for Tony to sit on the sofa, leaving the arm free. He picked up his hot chocolate, marshmallows stacked a little dangerously on top and patted the arm of the sofa beside him, glancing up at Jess as he took a sip. He swallowed and voiced his request.  
"Join us." He patted the arm again. Jess exhaled in disappointment.  
"I can't." She sighed. "I have to guard the kitchen in case Loki decides he wants a midnight snack. Besides, Rose is probably bored too. It wouldn't be fair."  
A noise of annoyance raised from the group.  
"Ah, c'mon! Join us!"  
"If Loki comes at us with a butter-knife from the kitchen, we'll handle it!"  
"C'mon, Jess!"  
"Do join us in our merriment, Agent Jess. Tis a truly entertaining evening!"  
"Go grab Rose and make her join us too!"  
Finally, Jess grinned in defeat.  
"Okay, but just remember I was forced to join you against my will." Jess made her way into the hall to fetch Rose.

Hours later, the group had stopped their gaming session and were watching some TV. Somehow along the way, they changed places. Sitting on the couch were Jess, Tony and Rose. Clint, Steve, Amy and Thor were at their feet.  
Finally, Tony commented on what they were watching.  
"Why did I give Jess the remote?" He groaned as the cartoon ponies on-screen started a new episode. Jess had forced the group to watch five episodes of 'My Little Pony', and now they were starting another. The intro song still made the rest of them cringe, but Jess was thoroughly enjoying herself. This episode was one of her favourites. One dark pink pony was telling a bunch of foals about an evil character called 'Discord'. He used to rule Equestria as a King of Chaos.  
"Remind you of anyone?" Jess said quietly, nudging Tony. She felt his laugh rumble silently beside her. They were a little too close together, but neither was complaining.  
As the episode went on, the group found themselves a little too into the story. When the main characters had to find the 'Elements of Harmony' to stop Discord from taking over again, Jess felt movement at her feet and beside her. The superheroes were worried for a group of six cartoon ponies. The Agent grinned. She was going to convert them no matter what.  
"Fluttershy!" Clint gasped when the hedge maze the ponies had to complete separated them, leaving the shy little yellow pegasus terrified and on her own. The archer clamped a hand over his mouth in alarm at his outburst, but no one made fun of him.  
As each character became 'discorded', or the opposite of their normal personality, the group felt very worried. When Twilight Sparkle was left alone and finally became discorded herself, Jess was positive she heard a sniff.  
Eventually, the two-part episode came to an end with the ponies saving the day. The group relaxed a little more and Tony shifted a little to check his watch.  
"Ooh, half one. Maybe it's time for bed. You guys have to be guarding Loki, remember?" Tony winked at Jess, who hit him lightly on the arm.  
"Yeah, bed sounds good." Rose was the first to stand up. She stretched and turned off the TV. She turned and her eyes widened at something behind them all. Jess knew, but turned in her seat to see if she was right.  
Loki stood by the hallway, leaning against the wall, arms folded and watching them with a smirk.  
"Hello." Loki's smirk grew and he stood up straight, releasing his arms and letting his hands disappear behind his back.

Everyone jumped to their feet. Rose and Amy drew their guns, and Clint pulled a bow from God knows where. Mjolnir was in Thor's hand in a second. They were all ready to fight.  
Loki raised his hands in a placating gesture.  
"Calm yourselves. I only wished to see the source of amusement you had. It was awfully boring in my room all alone." Loki began to pace towards them, hands returning to his back. Strange how, even without his magic, he gave off an aura of authority. Jess almost belived he was born to rule.  
"You are not welcome here, brother." Thor growled menacingly, not fooled by his charade. His grip on the hammer tightened.  
"Apologies, Thor. I did not wish to disturb your colourful equine experience. Though, the character of Discord was truly inspiring." The God of Mischief grinned.  
"Why are you here?" Clint spoke threateningly, his bow drawn.  
Loki looked almost taken aback.  
"Well, after my attempts to rule Midgard failed, Thor brought me back to Asgard to be tried. My power was removed and I was sentenced to exile on Earth for as long as would be necessary to learn the error of my ways and become a better person." He explained. "Never mind that I was being controlled." He added with a sigh. Thor's eyes narrowed, but he began to lower Mjolnir.  
"My brother does not pose much of a threat to us now." Thor reminded them. Weapons were lowered, but the atmosphere remained just as tense.  
"What I meant was why did you leave your room?" Clint questioned, just as harshly as before.  
Loki was now merely a few feet away from the sofa and the group. He stopped.  
"As I said before, I was bored. There were strange, cheerful noises coming from this room. I came to investigate." Loki reasoned with a smile. It was a little unsettling.  
A worried thought came to Jess' mind.  
"How long were you standing there?" She asked.  
"Oh, a few hours, certainly. I arrived just as you finished fighting each other. The show 'My Little Pony' was not what I expected you to enjoy." He smirked at the adult males in the room.  
"You were told to stay in your room." Tony stated calmly, ignoring Loki's prodding.  
"Really? Oh, I must have forgotten." Loki lied smoothly.  
"Never mind. Let's just get you back to your room." Amy sighed and holstered her gun. Loki smiled at them all again before turning on his heel and making his way back to the hallway.  
"Do not bother yourselves, I shall return myself." The God disappeared down the hallway, leaving the group a little dumbfounded and more than a little shocked. Loki had been watching them for hours and he'd done nothing threatening. They had had their guard down, too.

"Goodnight, Agents." Thor smiled at the three girls. The group was disbanding for the night and everyone was saying their goodbyes.  
"Night, gals." Clint nodded at them.  
"Goodnight." Steve waved.  
"G'night, ladies." Tony winked.  
"Night, guys!" The girls chimed together. Together, they headed down the hallway, past Loki's room, past the kitchen. Two doors were side by side, while the other was on the opposite side.  
"Night Amy, night Jess." Rose yawned, disappearing into the first room.  
"Night, Rose. Night Amy." Jess opened the door of the room beside Rose's.  
"Night, guys." Amy entered the room opposite them.  
As Jess donned her pyjamas, she thought back over the day.  
It had started off waking up early because of a call from Coulson. She'd headed to the nearest private airport and was up in the air soon enough. Then, she'd been told her mission and dropped off in New York. She'd hung out with most of the Avengers. Now she was going to sleep in Stark Tower, for the first of many nights.  
Stark. Something about him drew her in like a magnet. There was no denying his attractiveness, but there was something else there that had sparked something inside her. She refused to believe she'd fall for her... client? Boss? What even was he to her? Either way, it was just an attraction. She could ignore that. She just hoped feelings didn't follow.  
It was this worry, and not the fact that she was sleeping on the same floor as a killer, that prevented her from sleeping until finally, she drifted off.

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**A/N: Pointless goodnights are pointless. That honestly didn't affect the plot in any way, shape or form. And I'm not just saying that to throw you off.  
...Or am I? You'll have to wait and- no. No, really, the first part of that last paragraph was beyond useless. :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**EDIT: This chapter's layout was messed up, so I fixed it. Not as easy as it sounds, especially when every time I saved, my internet decided to die. That's one of the reasons it took over a week to fix. :P**

**A/N: I've never had such a busy social calendar! I know, I don't get it either... :D ****  
I'm sorry to say I included a girly bit near the end. Nevertheless, if you can bear through that, you'll survive the worst of the story.  
Also, (almost) everything is done the way it is for a reason. Even if you think it's an oversight, or just awful writing. ** **...Unless it's actually one of those. ;)**

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Chapter 3: Lies

A soft knock on her door woke Jess from her sleep. She blinked awake and glanced at her phone on the bedside table. Half seven. A little early, but the smell of a fry-up teased her nose until she was wide awake. Sitting up in the bed, she automatically glanced at the window. The curtains were still drawn, but early morning light filtered into the room, not doing much to banish the dark.  
The bedroom door opened and Steve poked his head around it.  
"Jess... breakfast." He said softly. Jess sent him a sleepy smile.  
"Thanks, Cap. I'll be out in a minute."  
The shy man bobbed his head and disappeared, closing the door behind him.  
Jess stretched and finally got up, before opening her curtains. Sunlight streamed into the room, lighting it up. The smell of rashers caught her attention again, and all hopes of getting dressed before eating vanished. Still in her pyjamas, Jess made her way to the door and was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of delicious food. It was worse in the hallway.  
Eventually making it to the kitchen, Jess was greeted by Tony at the cooker, flipping some pancakes under the scrutiny of Rose. Three large plates sat beside the cooker, two of which were piled high with fried goods, like rashers, sausages, black and white pudding and eggs. The other one was a decent sized pile of pancakes, obviously being made taller as time went on. On the other side of the island, Thor was tucking into a plate of food almost as big as those beside the cooker. A half-empty glass of juice sat beside it, along with a separate, smaller plate with three or four poptarts. Steve was setting the table with glasses, cutlery and plates for everyone. He'd apparently made toast and set the toast-rack on the table beside different selections of drinks.  
"Ah, you guys are the greatest, you know that?" Jess grinned thankfully at them. Tony glanced at her for a second to flash her a smile, before Rose whacked his arm and told him to watch what he was doing. Rose winked at Jess knowingly, much to Jess' amusement. She stood by the island, watching them cook for a while until Rose handed her a tray with a meagre plate of food, a piece of toast and some water.  
"Could you bring that into Loki please?" She asked.  
"Sure." Jess replied. "But... don't give him too much food." She added, grinning. When Rose frowned, Jess tipped her head to Thor, who was devouring yet another slice of toast covered in two rashers, three sausages, two of each pudding, some mushrooms and an egg, all topped with a poptart. The girls giggled. When Rose glanced away to criticise Tony's latest pancake disaster, Jess grabbed another slice of toast and speared a few more sausages for the God of Mischief on a fork.  
"No, no, _no! _That's all wrong! Were you even paying attention?!" Jess heard Rose's voice rise in annoyance as she left the kitchen. She just smiled to herself.  
Out in the hallway, she almost bumped into Clint, who looked exhausted. The sight of the food in Jess' hands however, instantly perked him up.  
"I'd get in there quick, before Thor eats it all, and before Rose makes Tony scrap his pancakes." Jess warned. Clint was gone in a flash.  
Jess made it to Loki's room eventually and, balancing the tray on one arm, she knocked.  
"Yes?" His voice floated through the door. Jess- with the tray on the verge of falling over- managed to open the door. She was half expecting the room to still be dark and for Loki to still be in bed. Quite the contrary, the curtains were wide open and Loki was sitting in an armchair at the end of his bed, one leg over the other, a book in his hand. He was still dressed in his gold/green outfit. She only hoped he brought other clothes so they wouldn't have to deal with a smelly God. The Asgardian glanced up at her entrance and she was struck by the green eyes. They didn't search her, they only had a light of curiosity. They quickly found the plate of food, however.  
"Ah, I thought I smelled Midgardian cuisine." Loki smiled, snapping the book shut and standing up. Jess placed the tray down on the end of his bed and Loki eyed it with a mixture of wariness and hunger. "Am I not permitted to eat with my sibling and his friends in the kitchen?" Loki spoke almost bitterly. He accepted the food all the same, however annoyed he may have been.  
"I got you some extra toast and sausages." Jess blurted out before she could stop herself. Loki glanced up at her, eyebrow raised.  
"Did you?" He asked. "Why?" Jess found herself frowning. Why _had_ she given him the extra food? Did she feel sorry for the God?  
"I suppose I just thought you'd like them..?" Her answer raised at the end to sound more like a question. Loki gave her an inquisitive look, eyebrow still raised.  
"Curious." Then, he shrugged with his lip and picked his breakfast up before sitting back down in his chair. "Thank you for the food, Agent..."  
"Jess. Jess Tyler." Jess replied. Why was she giving him this information? She supposed her guard was down because of the friendly look in his eyes. Her eyes seemed to focus on nothing for a second before she snapped out of her thoughts and glanced back at the God of Mischief. Yes, it must've been the lack of dishonesty in his eyes. Or the overdose of 'My Little Pony' the night before. Either way, she seemed to have subconsciously decided to be at least a little pleasant to the prisoner of Stark Tower.  
"Well, thank you Jess. You appear to be the only one aside from the Man of Iron who does not see me as a threat." To which Jess responded by mirroring Loki's smile.

The group sat around the kitchen table, munching on food. Every now and again, someone would make a pleased noise in comment to the food, but everyone was mostly silent. Even the approving noises soon stopped when someone- most likely Tony- managed to twist the noises with a raised eyebrow and a noise of his own. This led to the people sitting nearest to the billionaire hitting him violently on the arm.  
When everyone was finished eating, Steve ended up being the one left to clean it up.  
"Thanks, Steve!"  
"You're great, Cap!"  
"Cheers, Stevie Wonders."  
Steve just smirked at the nicknames and collected the plates and cups while everyone left to either go to work, get dressed or generally be elsewhere. Jess returned to her room and threw on a blue shirt and dark jeans, before heading out to the living space. Amy was already there, along with Thor. Tony and Clint had disappeared- Tony presumably to tinker with his suits and check up on Stark Industries, and Clint to go... uh... be Hawkeye. Rose was probably still getting changed, and Steve was still cleaning.  
When Jess appeared, Amy and Thor were laughing together about something. Jess smirked to herself.  
"Hey, guys." Jess crossed the room towards them and flopped down beside Amy, who acted unsurprised by her friend's arrival.  
"Hi Jess!" She beamed, casting Thor a glance that Jess couldn't read. She pretended not to notice.  
"So, who's up for some more 'My Little Pony'?" Jess grinned, sitting up. Both Thor and Amy groaned.  
"No more, please!" Amy wailed.  
"I cannot take another second." Thor pouted. Tony chose that exact moment to arrive in the elevator.  
"Whoah, what's going on up here? Please, there're a bunch of bedrooms. Not in the communal areas." He smirked. If looks could kill, both Amy and Thor would have been tried for murder. Jess would've died from laughter if she hadn't bitten her tongue. Tony just beamed at them and bowed to Jess, before grabbing his phone off a table and hopping back into the elevator.  
"Did Tony just travel all the way up the Tower just to make a witty remark and grab his phone, before going all the way back down?" Rose appeared from the hallway, finishing a plait in her hair. She wandered over, perched on the edge of the arm and tied a bobbin around the end of the plait.  
"Pretty much." Jess replied, glancing up as Steve finally appeared. He was drying his hands on a towel and tossed it expertly onto the back of the sofa.  
"What's going on?" The soldier asked, making his way over.  
"Tony just arrived from his workshop downstairs to grab his phone and make a dirty joke about Thor and Amy, before going back downstairs." Jess explained, sitting up a little more.  
"Ooh, what happened to spark the joke?" Steve asked, glancing between the blonde Asgardian and the blonde Midgardian. He seemed to pause and consider his question, before rephrasing it. "Never mind. It's Stark- he'd find a way. But... _did_ something happen?" Jess glanced at Amy with a cruel smirk. Her friend's eyes were a little too wide, and her cheeks were turning slightly pink. She almost heard the chanting in Amy's head- _Nothing. Nothing happened. Nothing._ Jess sighed and rolled her eyes at her friend, as if to say 'really, you trust me that little?', before turning back to the rest of the group.  
"Nope, just some bad timing and an interesting choice of phrases." She sniffed dismissively. The majority of the group seemed to accept her answer, as a witness, but Rose eyed her suspiciously. _Damn._  
"Right, if that's the case, I've got to go." Steve sighed, making his way over to the elevators.  
"As do I. I gave Father my word that I would inform him of Loki's safe arrival. He was unsure as to whether his powers would stay diminished in this realm. I will return before the sunset, dear friends." Thor rose, using Amy's shoulder as a support. Jess noticed it linger there. Oh, she was going to have fun with that.  
Once the God and the Captain left, Rose turned to glare at both Jess and Amy.  
"Tell me everything." She demanded, sliding off the arm and onto the sofa. Jess and Amy exchanged a glance- or, rather, Jess grinned and Amy winced.  
"Yeah, everything." Jess added, a strange glint in her eyes. Amy's eyes widened again, the pink hue returning to her cheeks. Her eyes darted between Jess and Rose, almost like she expected them to torture her until she spoke.  
"What do you mean?" Amy tried to sound calm, but Rose and Jess exchanged a condescending glance before smirking at their friend.  
"Everything about you and Thor." They spoke in unison, further deepening Amy's terror.

The girls were gathered on the couch, eating some pancakes made from leftover batter. They'd since found the location of the chocolate spread and had some delicious crepes as a result.  
"So, what you're saying is you _think_ you like Thor?" Jess asked bluntly, tearing off a piece of pancake and munching on it happily. Amy, who was now a deeper shade of red, nodded her head, since her mouth was full of chocolatey goodness. Rose bobbed her head approvingly.  
"Yeah, I can see you two together." She smirked, licking some spread off her palm. She glanced at Jess, who winked in reply. Yes, they'd think of something.  
"What about you guys?" Amy asked, turning her upper half towards them. "Anyone you two fancy?" Jess had a split second to decide. She didn't really know why she chose to lie, but it was the conclusion her mind came to first.  
"Nope. Not yet, anyway." Jess lied smoothly. It kind of scared her how easily lies flowed, but then again, she was a S.H.I.E.L.D Agent; lying was part of the job. Meanwhile, Rose hadn't answered. Instead, she wore a superior smile as she ate another pancake. Jess' attention was immediately seized.  
"Who?" She asked, eyebrow raised expectantly. Rose blinked calmly, watching her food while the other two girls stared, cheesy grins plastered on their faces. Rose took her time to finish her pancake before replying.  
"Clint's kinda cute." She admitted smoothly. The grins became ones of surprise.  
"Really? Clint?" Jess asked.  
"As in Hawkeye?" Amy added. Rose simply nodded. The discussion soon dissolved into girly giggles and jabs as Jess made fun of the other two playfully. Eventually they got sick of their friend's remarks and turned on Jess.  
"Ah, c'mon! You've gotta like someone. We're surrounded by so many eligible bachelors!" Rose grinned, poking Jess' arm.  
"Not Steve? Not Tony? Not even Loki?" Amy prodded. Jess' smile suddenly vanished.  
"Whoah. Not cool. Not cool." Jess stared at Amy, making her eyes go wide. Amy backed up a little.  
"Sorry, you're right. Too far." She conceded. Which resulted in Jess breaking out into a grin and poking Amy's arm a little more. "Ahahoww!" She complained. Jess just stuck out her tongue.  
"Oh well, I guess we just have to talk about girly stuff on our own then, Amy." Rose tutted sadly. Amy groaned loudly.  
"Nooo! Jess, save me from the fashion and the makeup!" She cried, trying to drag herself along the sofa towards Jess, which just so happened to have to mean crossing over Rose's lap. In short, her escape plan was not so effective. It did, however, result in laughter and Amy falling off the couch, which increased the laughter and left them all gasping for air.

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**A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Tune in next time for more of Tony's terrible jokes, Loki's lies and Steve's femininity. :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay, it's been way too long since my last update. I'm sorry!  
To make up for it, here's a double-update! :P  
Yes, I got carried away with the Rom-Com/Chick Flick thing in the last section. Sorry... It (hopefully) won't be that bad again. Every other scene similar will be pure fluff to make your heart explode. :3**

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Chapter 4: Pizza or Something

Down in his workshop, Tony Stark was fiddling with his latest suit. Mark 17, to be exact. It had a slightly more streamlined design and had lost the gold and red paint along the way. In its own way, it was more a hunk of metal than the others. It was also, however, freaking awesome in Tony's mind.  
To be specific, he was working on improving the foot design to make the thrusters more stable and to make the interior odor-proof. He couldn't deny that the suit usually didn't smell like lilies and rainbows after fighting a bad guy in a suit of metal for hours on end.  
When JARVIS interrupted his tinkering, Tony was deciding between a foot deodorant or a pleasant-smelling air freshener.  
"Sorry to disturb you, sir, but Agents Tyler, Reynolds and Cobb have asked me to tell you about the pizzas they had delivered. I was told to inform you there are slices still available, but that Thor will be arriving shortly and the food will not last forever." JARVIS paused. "Sir, may I advise you take their offer, since you haven't eaten anything for seven and a half hours."  
Tony stopped what he was doing for a moment to gaze into the air, as though he could see the form of his AI.  
"Thanks, JARVIS. Tell them I'll be up soon." He replied finally, before deciding on the air freshener. Next came the decision of which interesting scent to choose- Apple and cinnamon; strawberry and paprika; cumin and cherry.  
If JARVIS had a face and a hand, he would've placed his forehead in his palm and massaged his brain. The AI sighed.  
Tony fiddled some more with the holographic images, his mind trailing towards the Agents who basically lived with him. They were a laugh, and he was again reminded of his gratitude towards S.H.I.E.L.D. for choosing the three most fun Agents they had, in his opinion. They were quickly becoming friends with the majority of the Avengers. Of course, living with three attractive women was not as easy as he had hoped. After strict instructions not to woo them from Steve, he'd found it next to impossible to tone down his natural playboy state. It really didn't help that Thor was clearly fond of Agent Amy Cobb. Ever since she'd beaten him in that fighting game, he'd developed an obvious admiration for her. Whether that admiration had led to feelings, Tony had no idea. He was, however, going to tease them as much as he could.  
Now, Clint was a completely different story. He just seemed happy enough around all three. He probably did favour someone, but in all honesty, Tony didn't care that much to find out who. Besides, Clint was never one to hide his feelings for anyone. It was pretty clear to everyone where they stood with him. It'd be clear soon enough.  
Grudgingly, Tony shone his light on his mind. Yeah, he did have a crush. Yeah, it could just be a simple attraction. _No_, he did not love her.  
After Pepper, he swore he'd stay away from feelings like that. No sense in getting attached just to have his heart broken again. So, it was back to womanizing. Alas, with the 'Steve Rule' in place, he'd have difficulty with the _attraction_. He wouldn't allow himself to grow attached, and the Cap made him swear not to woo them, even for a night. Basically, he could do nothing, and he had very little time in which to do it before he began down _the path_; the journey from attraction to love. But, if he did something, he'd probably regret it because really, she was a nice person and-  
_Oh God... it begins..!_

Back upstairs, the girls stared at the pile of pizza boxes on the floor beside the table. None of them took notice of the end of the movie they were supposedly watching- some chick flick about a woman falling for a nerd named Stanley, or Stanny, or Stall Lee, or whatever. The guy was currently on one knee on an obviously green-screened beach, a multicoloured ring in a case in his hand. His glasses shone with the wrong light for evening time at the beach. There was cheesy music playing in the background, of course.  
They'd come to the unspoken agreement not to begin eating until they were sure the others were going to arrive soon. Since the sun was almost about to set and a random rainstorm began out of nowhere, they guessed Thor was going to join them shortly. They'd sent a message down to Tony, and Clint had texted them that he was gonna be another few minutes, but he'd find Steve and bring him up with him when they got there.  
Amy's stomach growled loudly. The other girls didn't even comment.

"...Brought this Slab of Cola, since Fury ordered us to stay away from alcohol when guarding Loki." Tony grumbled, carrying a huge pack of cans of Coke and depositing it on the table. Jess rolled her eyes at the man's sulky expression and tutted disapprovingly, before scooching forward on the sofa to reach the cans. It cracked satisfyingly when opened.  
Rose glanced around at the group.  
"Looks like everyone's here." She commented, mostly to herself. To her shock, most of the people who had been sitting on the sofa, chatting nonchalantly, were instantly alert, glancing around. Jess moved so that she was perched on the edge of the sofa, a smirk splitting her face. She eyed the others, who all copied her. They were all suddenly ready to pounce on the pile of pizza boxes towering beside the table. There was a pizza each, plus an extra for Loki. The only problem was that there were two plain pizzas, five pepperoni ones and a single Cajun chicken one. There were supposed to be six pepperoni ones and one plain, but the guy on the phone had messed their order up. Instead of complaining, some had decided they'd make a race out of it.  
Now, there were seven pizza boxes sitting patiently by the table, their taunting smells drawing the hungry adults to edge closer slowly.  
"Um... I guess we can sta-" Rose was interrupted by the sudden flurry of movement as five people darted towards the boxes in a desperate attempt to get the best pizza. Rose- who hadn't moved out of shock- stared at the pile of people scrambling for the food. She glanced over at Jess, who she realised hadn't moved. Jess was indeed sitting further back on the sofa, munching on a slice of delicious pepperoni pizza, a smug grin plastered across her face as she took another bite. When she caught Rose's eye, her grin grew and she leaned forward before pulling a pizza box out from under the sofa. She slid it back and winked at her friend, who mirrored her smirk.  
Jess glanced at a retreating Amy, who held a box that was clearly marked as Cajun chicken. Thor and Steve both left the pile-up, holding pepperoni pizzas. Steve handed one of the two he was carrying to Rose and he and Thor sat down on the floor to eat. The only thing remaining was Tony and Clint waging a tug-of-war over the last pepperoni pizza. Jess rolled her eyes and started a new slice. When she glanced back, Clint had won and left a sulky Tony with a plain pizza sitting on the ground. He pouted pathetically and got to his feet, before slouching down angrily on the sofa.  
Jess shook her head and handed him a slice of her pizza, which he accepted graciously, on the verge of tears.

As the group lay scattered about the area, digesting their food, Jess noticed the last pizza box sitting forgotten amidst the empty ones. She frowned to herself. Getting to her feet, she stretched out her arms and legs, letting them click.  
"I'm gonna go give Loki his food. Don't start the ice cream without me, or you'll have a very unhappy, professionally trained S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent to deal with." Jess warned, watching the others grin tiredly as she grabbed the box and made her way to Loki's room.  
She knocked first, still attempting to be halfway decent to the prisoner.  
"Yes?" Loki's reply was muffled by the door. Jess began the difficult struggle to balance the pizza on one arm when the door swung open, revealing a formally dressed God of Mischief. It was a change from his normal attire, at least, but it made it look as though he thought he was going out, and out to somewhere posh.  
He looked a little surprised to see Jess standing outside, struggling to balance the box on one arm and, in the process, needing one leg to be in the air. Quickly righting herself, Jess held the box out to him.  
"Food. Pizza, specifically." The young woman smiled. Loki arched an eyebrow and glanced at the box a little reluctantly. Seeing this, Jess' smile vanished and she opened the box. "It's the circular thing inside. Quite nice, in my opinion." She beamed. Loki sighed, but the corners of his mouth twitched and he accepted the box.  
"Thank you, Agent Jess." He set the box down on the table behind the door. He seemed to pause, watching her for a second, his mouth ajar like he was waiting to say something. Finally, he spoke. "When would it be possible for me to join your social gatherings in the seating area?"  
Jess frowned. Not at Loki, or to do with what he said. She just... frowned. At nothing, really. Something at the back of her mind that tried to draw her attention. But reality was far too important at the moment- she was talking with the pris- no, talking to _Loki_. Just because he was a prisoner didn't mean she had to refer to him as one.  
Jess shook herself mentally and refocused.  
"Well, I wouldn't advise it today. But maybe tomorrow, or later in the week. I figure two days of good behavior are better than one to prove you're not just tricking us." Jess sighed. She half wished they could all just get along, but was quick to give up on that hope. Here was Loki; the God who tried to kill his own brother, who threw Tony out a window, who controlled Clint, who supposedly killed Agent Coulson. He was hardly going to be welcomed with open arms.  
"To think you assume I would try to trick you... I would never do such a thing." Loki lied unconvincingly. Just as Jess began to grow uneasy, the God grinned. Jess smirked and rolled her eyes at him. "It seems I shall need a sign to display whenever I am being sarcastic. Or, perhaps a catchphrase..." He trailed off, but soon came back to reality with a smile. "Anyway, thank you once again for the pizza and for your time, Agent Jess."  
"No problem, Loki." Jess replied, before realising what she'd just said... and to whom. "Never thought I'd say that. Ever." The two shared a brief, polite laugh before Loki waved his goodbyes and closed his door. Jess made her way back to the living area at last.

One of many living areas in Stark Tower in New York City was currently being occupied by a group of superheroes and trained S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents who were all on a mission to guard the God of Mischief, who had been stripped of his powers and sentenced to Earth to be punished for unleashing an army of aliens into the heart of the City.  
These highly professional adults were curled up either on or around the sofa in the particular living area, while _Jurassic Park_ was playing. It was nearing the end, and everyone was very tired. Jess was pretty sure Amy had fallen asleep on Thor's shoulder as they sat on the ground- something she would not let her live down later. Though, in fairness, she was currently curled up by Tony's side, his arm around her. If she didn't love the movie, she too would've fallen asleep in her cuddly ball of warmth. In fact, she very nearly did when the end finally rolled around. The main characters were all falling asleep to the soft melody that played in the background as their helicopter soared over the waves. Jess felt her eyelids grow heavy and was literally seconds away from drifting off when Clint jumped up, clasped his hands togther and said, "Right!" as loudly as he could. For days after, it would be joked that Thor jumped three feet in the air from a sitting position.  
Jess just groaned and pulled herself away from Tony's side reluctantly, leaving her own side cold in comparison. She got to her feet and began collecting pizza boxes, Coke cans and other assorted rubbish in a kind of zombified state. When she had gathered as much as she could carry, Jess began to make her way to the kitchen to drop off the rubbish. It took her a moment to locate the correct bins, and when she eventually realised that there was no way she'd get a bajillion pizza boxes into the tiny recycling bin.  
Jess nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard footsteps enter the kitchen. She turned on her heel and spotted Tony, before letting out a relieved sigh.  
"Oh, it's just you." She smiled tiredly. Tony was carrying a bundle of rubbish and deposited it all on the counter, much to Jess' disapproval.  
"Well, don't I feel loved." Tony replied. When he saw Jess glare at the pile on the counter, he just smirked. "Captain Spangles will see it in the morning and be compelled to clean it up." Jess paused for a moment, before adding what was left of her rubbish pile to the one on the counter.  
A tired silence settled between them, when Jess suddenly became aware of the distance.  
"Y'know, I was almost gonna leave this place." Tony spoke, breaking the silence and gazing around the kitchen. "When we stopped Loki. I almost didn't rebuild it. First, there was the whole 'almost dying' thing. Then there was the whole 'Pepper' incident. And then, there was the whole 'monument to the sky with my name plastered on it' epiphany." Tony made his way over and leant back on the counter opposite Jess. He folded his arms.  
"What happened with the 'Pepper' incident anyway?" Jess asked, but immediately regretted her question. "Sorry, if that's too personal-" She began. Tony sighed, interrupting her.  
"No, it's fine. I suppose it'd be good to talk." He dropped his gaze to his feet. "Well, as you might remember, I almost died during BNY. Naturally, when Pepper got all those missed calls of mine, she freaked out. She was sure I was dead. I know, loving the faith, too. Anyway, when she finally decided to call me, my suit was more than a little broken and my phone was back at the Tower. So, later, when I came back to the Tower a little battered and bruised, she had another freak-out. Said I was 'irresponsible' and told me off for not trying to contact her. Y'know, after I'd called her while flying towards imminent death. In the end, she said she couldn't be with someone who puts themselves in danger like I do without thinking of their loved ones." Tony finished with a sigh, though Jess could've sworn his voice croaked at the end. His gaze raised finally to meet Jess', who blinked at him sympathetically. She went over and leaned against the counter beside him.  
"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I couldn't imagine..." Tony turned to face her.  
"Sorry I made you listen to that." He spoke gently. Jess turned towards him then. His hand raised up to gently caress her cheek. She was again suddenly aware of the distance, or in this case, the lack thereof. She'd never noticed how many emotions seemed to dance in his chocolate brown eyes. It occured to Jess that it'd be so easy to just lean forward and kiss him. It seemed as though he was having similar thoughts because he was leaning forward and Jess was going to do something she'd regret but he was right there and closing the distance and Jess' heart pounded in her chest and-  
"It-It's getting pretty late. Like, past-my-bedtime-to-stay-alert-to-guard-the-God-of-Mischief kind of late." Jess decided, taking a step back and breaking the tense atmosphere completely. "G'night, Tony!" She turned and disappeared out of the kitchen as quick as she could before diving into her room and falling back against the closed door. Jess closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands. She'd almost- but... why hadn't she? Something had stopped her. Something had actually said 'no' in her mind. She was so confused. It hurt.  
Finally, some actual reason kicked her brain into motion. She'd just prevented a disaster. Tony had been in an 'I was dumped' mood, and most likely everything he'd done was a result of that. If she'd- if either of them had-  
Jess had no intention of being the rebound girl.  
With that little bit of sanity to cling on to, Jess changed into her PJs and climbed into bed. Despite her consoling words, Jess then spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, wondering again and again why she didn't just kiss him.

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**A/N: Yet another kinda short chapter... Okay, next one will have more characters and I'll move the plot on a bit more. Hooray for bad character juggling! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: The famed double-update! Updates will be slower, since I actually have to begin to write chapter seven from the moment this is posted. Again, this is a short-ish chapter but it has a decent amount of action.**  
**...ish. :P**

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Chapter 5: 'Because You're _Hemsworth_ It'

The next day went by rather the same as the last- everyone woke up, had breakfast, disappeared and left the girls in Stark Tower. Jess decided against Loki's visit to the living area, mainly because she was trying to get over the distance that seemed to yawn between her and Tony. Introducing the God of Mischief to the equation was hardly a good idea. Though, as her relationship with Tony seemed to evaporate, her relationship with Loki improved. To be honest, she was enjoying the God's company a little more than she should have. He was hilarious- almost every comment was sarcasm. It seemed that since sarcasm was basically deceit, he was a master in the art of witty, but sharp, comments. It wasn't until a day later, however, she decided he might be accepted by the group.  
The morning went by in a flash, though it being the weekend meant that almost everyone returned to the Tower earlier. Clint ended up being the first to arrive, and he spent most of the time talking to the girls about archery. Jess had mistakenly expressed an interest in archery she'd had since she was young, and that had led to a speech, followed by a lecture, followed by factoids and a mini-speech. The girls smiled and listened politely, all the same.  
By the time he was finished, Steve had joined them. Clint ended up giving him a much shorter version of the story he'd just explained in great detail to the girls.  
Soon after, Thor arrived. None of them really knew where Thor went during the day. It wasn't like he had a job in a shop somewhere... had he? This guess led to the girls spending an entire afternoon looking up Thor-related puns, like '_Thor_eal- Because you're worth it' and 'Vic_Thor_ia's Secret'. During their hunt for funny jokes on the internet, they discovered some disturbing things about the human race. For one, many of them seemed to dislike the Avengers for destroying part of New York. Another was that some of them had accepted Loki as a King from the moment he appeared in Stuttgart. There were even some strange pictures people had drawn, which ended up burning holes in the girls' brains and wishing there was an 'unsee' button.  
All of this because they wanted to know what Thor did.  
It was just after the group had shared a lunch in Stark Tower when Jess decided she'd start trying to get the others to accept Loki. It would make their lives a whole lot easier if Loki were allowed to wander around the floor and interact with others. Jess was pretty sure solitary confinement was not part of his sentence. Plus, she and the girls were getting sick of being prisoners in the Tower themselves.  
Jess disappeared into the hallway and knocked on the God's door. She waited patiently for a response, so couldn't help but be alarmed when the door swung open suddenly. Loki had donned surprisingly casual attire and appeared to be ready to join the group immediately. Jess frowned to herself- a habit she'd taken to without realising. It came alongside her forgetting something or generally thinking stupid thoughts. The trouble was, the stupid thoughts were usually the things she was forgetting.  
She shook her head to clear it, before giving the God a cautious smile.  
"Well, looks like you're ready. But don't expect parades and cheering..." Jess warned. Loki's eyes seemed to shine sadly for a moment, before he gave a curt nod and followed the Agent.

Thor, Steve, Amy, Clint and Rose were relaxing in the living area when the elevator dinged. The doors opened to reveal that Tony had finally joined them, only he wasn't alone. He was in his cool-guy outfit, complete with pointless sunglasses. Firstly, it was a cold Autumn day. Secondly, he was indoors. Beside him stood his Science Bro, Dr. Bruce Banner. He waved meekly from the elevator, before stepping out the doors after Tony.  
"Guys, say hi to Bruce. He decided to drop by the lab, and I said he could come up and meet everyone." Tony finally removed his sunglasses and tossed them onto the table beside the lift, turning to smile at the shy scientist.  
"Hello, Bruce." Steve greeted, politely as always.  
"S'up, Bruce?" Clint grinned, tossing Bruce an air high-five.  
"Greetings, Dr. Banner." Thor spoke in his usual manner and nodded his head respectfully at Bruce. Rose and Amy stood up and were about to go over and introduce themselves when Jess appeared in the hallway suddenly, followed closely by the God of Mischief.  
Then, as if a bomb had gone off, things began to happen very quickly, but appeared to the viewers as slow-motion. The people sitting on the sofa all turned quickly to stare in alarm at Loki. Some scrambled to their feet as quickly as they could. Tony's eyes widened in shock and he took a step back involuntarily, backing into the table beside the elevator. A strange ceramic artpiece balanced perfectly on the edge of the table wobbled precariously and gravity took hold, pulling it down to be smashed against the floor, shattering colourful shards of different sizes around the place.  
Suddenly, all eyes in the room turned to watch Bruce in alarm. All that could be heard in the slowed down second was the listener's heartbeat.  
_One._  
Bruce's eyes were wide in a mixture of shock, terror and anger at the God. His fists clenched. A sinking feeling entered Jess' stomach and she swallowed. If he turned- _when_ he turned- it would be Jess' fault and she'd be responsible if anyone got hurt.  
_Two._  
Everyone had frozen, watching and waiting. Ready to dive for weapons and/or cover. Ready to fight, if necessary. The threat of Loki had all but been forgotten for the moment as everyone focussed on Dr. Banner's every move and expression. Out of the corner of her eye, Jess saw Thor's hand tighten around the handle of Mjolnir.  
_Three._  
The only one seemingly unphased by the events stepped up beside Jess, hands clasped behind his back and smiled at the group. It was a smile that could easily have been mistaken for one of genuine humour, or one of honey-coated sarcasm.  
_Four._  
Bruce frowned at Loki and shook his head slowly.  
"Why didn't you warn me he'd be out and about?" The scientist asked, an annoyed tone in his voice as he turned to look at Tony. He had a disapproving parent glare on, as though Loki being there was as bad as Tony not cleaning his room. Slowly, he became aware of the tension in the room, looking at everyone staring at him. He took note of every primed weapon and sighed a tired, defeated sigh.  
_Five._  
There was a collective exhale of relief as the tension dissipated. The threat had passed- Bruce hadn't turned. Everyone calmed down quickly.  
"Was that expensive?" Bruce glanced at the shattered art covering part of the floor in dismay, partly at the destruction of the piece. Tony shook his head before glancing down at the pieces.  
"Nah, just something I picked up. Easily replaceable." He smiled reassuringly. "Or..." He turned to the people gathered around the sofa. "A few hours plus some superglue..?"  
The group groaned and a cushion thrown by an unknown assailant hit Tony in the face.  
"Being in possession of as much money as you are, Stark, could you not simply bribe them with food? Such a tactic usually works against my dear Brother." Loki smirked, drawing the attention of the group again. As if they'd actually forgotten he was there.  
Rose started laughing, much to her own surprise. When Amy gave her a startled look, Rose shook her head in disbelief.  
"What? Loki was implying that bribing Thor with food has worked in the past. How could you _not_ find that funny?" Rose smiled, biting back more laughter. Amy finally allowed herself to smile, and then eventually broke down into laughter. Which, of course, led to others joining in.  
Thor sighed and grumbled something about him being young and hungry.  
Jess heaved a sigh of relief. Bruce showing up when he did may have caused the biggest panic since they arrived at Stark Tower, but he could also be credited for taking the focus away from Loki.

Thor, Steve, Rose and Tony managed to squeeze onto the sofa, with Jess, Amy, Bruce and Clint sitting on the ground, their backs to the window. Loki was sitting on the ground opposite them, a coffee table in between them. He had one knee up and the other leg stretched out, his arm resting on his knee. He looked incredibly casual for a God. Even Thor looked a little out of place in his Midgardian clothes and he was very familiar with how mortals dress.  
The silence that yawned between the people sitting around was mildly tense, though the stress-levels were way down, for Bruce's sake.  
"Well, isn't _this_ a delightful way to spend an evening." Loki grinned at the group, eyes alighting at the sarcasm. It seemed as though lies and sarcasm gave him a sort of pleasure inexplicable to the others.  
The group, who had been focused on their own thoughts, now looked at Loki collectively. Eight pairs of eyes stared in his direction, with varying emotions. Some ranged from hatred to almost tolerance, and concern to sadness.  
Jess blinked apologetically at the God, who seemed to deflate at the sight of sixteen eyes trained on him.  
"So, um... Loki." Steve began, ever the polite gentleman of the lot. "H-how are you?"  
The God glanced gratefully at the Captain, who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  
"Well, I'd much rather be at home in Asgard than here, but I am slowly getting used to your Midgardian ways of life, with the help of some." Loki glanced at Jess and Tony, giving them both small smiles. The others took note but chose not to discuss it now.  
Instead, Clint- who was sick of the awkward tension- crawled over to the nearest games console and pressed the on button. He tossed a controller at Loki, Thor, Tony, Amy and Bruce, and kept one for himself.  
"Well, there's one final test to see if you can join our social group here." Clint explained and loaded up a map for a basic FPS game. The screen was split into six equal parts, though each was still fairly sizeable. The players loaded in and the match began- after Thor gave his brother a quick rundown of the controls in terms he'd understand.  
Silence reigned supreme as Player 1 (Clint) rounded a corner and spotted Player 4 (Tony) trying to find a target through a window. He was the first fatality.  
"Damnit, Clint! I had Thor in my sights!" Tony growled, just as Amy began jabbing at the right-trigger with all her might. She ended up killing Player 6 (Bruce) out of pure luck. Bruce groaned in annoyance, but quickly respawned.  
Player 5 (Amy) was killed seconds later by Player 2 (Thor), followed by Player 2 killing Player 1. Nothing happened for another moment, until Player 3 (Loki) knifed Player 2. Jess couldn't help but see the irony in that.

The game went on for another twenty minutes, and in that time the scoreboard had fluctuated randomly. By the end, it looked like this:

* * *

**1st**- Player 2 (Thor)  
**2nd**- Player 3 (Loki)  
**3rd**- Player 4 (Tony)  
**4th**- Player 6 (Bruce)  
**5th**- Player 1 (Clint)  
**6th**- Player 5 (Amy)

* * *

Amy had given up trying when she discovered that despite her 'mad skillz', the others were just way too good at the game.  
The game ending was followed by a chorus of cheers and some rather violent whacks on Thor's back in congratulations. The Thunder God looked a little too proud of himself, until Loki reminded him that he'd used a semi-automatic weapon, while Loki had knifed every single person he'd killed. Granted that the knife blow wasn't always the killing blow, but it was still a factor in every kill.  
"Hey guys... you were beaten by Gods. Don't feel too bad." Rose grinned at a disappointed-looking Clint. He glared at her playfully and hesitated for a moment before darting over. Rose didn't have a chance. Clint had pinned her and was tickling her so much she couldn't breathe. Jess smirked. Even having no involvement in the situation made her feel like Cupid.  
Despite her earlier fears, Jess finally felt like Loki had a chance- There! Again with the stupid frowning thing! This time she caught herself and grasped onto what had caused her to frown in her mind. However, before she could even begin to see what it was, the thought or image or whatever it was dissolved. This lead to an even deeper frown. Something was stopping her from thinking about... something. Just when she was about to delve into her mind to find the solution, she overheard something that Loki was saying that completely confused her train of thought.  
"...don't trust the squirrels, Jack." He spoke in a matter-of-fact voice, which led to even further confusion. All earlier thoughts were banished.  
"Jack?" She asked. Loki glanced at her.  
"Just a bizzare segment from a book I read once upon a time." The God explained. Jess allowed herself to process this slowly.  
"Don't trust the squirrels, Jack!" She repeated in a creepy voice. "Jack... Don't trust the squirrels, Jack!"  
Of course, this led to laughter from the whole group.

* * *

**A/N: Based on a true story. Well, the squirrel part anyway. Never trust the squirrels. Or a silver platter. Or a pirate with one leg. Also, never run with scissors. It's all good fun, 'til someone loses an AAAAAAHHH!**  
**...*ahem* Hope you enjoyed this chapter. :3**


End file.
